Brooding on a Broom
by DarthVandola
Summary: Rolanda Hooch attempts to revive her dwindling relationship with a grieving Minerva McGonagall - set during the First Wizarding War.


**A/N**: This was written shamelessly for Daily Deviant's Christmas Wish list on Insane Journal. I've been meaning to write something for this pairing for a while, so I enjoyed this very much. Many thanks to my betas, Spin_84 and EmPoweredBeing, as well as the wonderful Deviant Member who requested this story :D

**Prompt:** What wartime does to a relationship.

**Edit:** This story has been nominated for the 2013 Spring-Summer Harry Potter Fanfic Fan Poll Awards on livejournal!

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**Brooding on a Broom**

Rolanda Hooch was suffering. She stood leaning against the doorway, still dressed in her Quidditch referee uniform and holding her broom, watching a dark haired witch from afar with a heavy heart that ached to be able to do something for her. Minerva had yet to even recognize that someone had entered the room. She was so busy these days, so terribly busy. Her workload was tiring enough without a bloody war going on, and it was no secret to the staff any more that she wasn't sleeping properly. But no one had yet to convince the high-minded deputy to stop for a moment and breathe.

The Order was suffering. The murder of Amelia Bones's parents by the hands of Lord Voldemort had shocked them, as did the losses of the Prewett twins and then the McKinnon family several months ago. But now, only five days since the massacre of Edgar Bones's family, the Order seemed to be nearly crippled. There was still no word regarding where Amelia or her toddler son were, but Edmund and his wife had reached safety... what little good that did now. No one could deny that things were looking bleak, especially when Professor Dumbledore had not checked into Hogwarts for several days; leaving his trusted deputy- more or less -completely in charge of the school.

Hogwarts was suffering. The castle seemed to be falling apart from the inside out more every day that passed. The children were constantly worrying over their families, and fights involving Slytherins were virtually an every other day occurrence. For those students who had lost their homes and loved ones, Hogwarts was a sanctuary to them, not just as a place where they could grieve, but a home too- now that the Governors had legislated to keep the castle open during the summer. It was an act that took place after the murder of young Michael McGonagall by Death Eaters when he stepped off the Hogwarts Express last summer.

Minerva McGonagall was suffering. She had been ever since that boy died. Michael had been Minerva's beloved nephew, and Rolanda would be lying if she said that he hadn't touched her heart as well. The young wizard had only just finished his Fourth Year and was becoming a prominent Quidditch player, just like his aunt. His death not only sparked a demand for Hogwarts to allow children to stay during the summer, but also a side of Minerva that Rolanda had not seen in many a year. She began to isolate herself from everyone, growing distant and cold- even to her partner on occasion.

Rolanda knew this was all an effort to keep herself from becoming too overwhelmed with the tragic world around them and to keep herself going. However, as she watched Minerva bury herself in her work, Rolanda couldn't help but feel like she was losing her. The hawk-eyed witch swallowed, still unsure if her idea would work; it was either going to start a fight, or possibly initiate something between them that they both so desperately needed. Yet, Rolanda was no fool, she knew that part of her was also hoping to quell a fire that had been burning within her for quite some time now. She had been patient, giving Minerva time and space to heal, but this tenure was becoming almost too much to bare.

Gently gripping her broom, Rolanda walked over to the dark haired witch and paused beside her desk.

"What are you working on?" she asked gently.

Minerva's green eyes hardly strayed from the stack of papers in front of her. "Writing a report to the Ministry."

Her quill continued to scratch, even as Rolanda leaned closer, bracing her hands on the edge of the desk.

"Missed you at the game. You'd have enjoyed it, Slytherin got pounded."

Again, Minerva kept her focus on the parchment before her, and her stern tone did not ease. "That'll be good for the Hufflepuffs, they need some encouragement right now."

It was no secret that the Muggle-borns and 'blood-traitor' families were at high risk from the Dark Lord and his followers, and with over half of the Bones family slaughtered- a traditional Hufflepuff dynasty -many were rightfully terrified.

Rolanda sighed. "Still nothing on Amelia and Peter?"

"No," she stated, the movement of her quill sharpening as it flew across the page, "and even if there was, Albus wouldn't dare risk their safety by sending word of it yet."

A silence fell over them and while it obviously didn't affect Minerva, it was uncomfortable for the hawk-eyed witch- although that could be due to the incessant movement of the quill beginning to bother her. It didn't used to be like this, their conversations so dry and stilted. Before the war had begun to escalate, they would look at one another, clasp hands, or even kiss when alone. They had made a conscious effort every day to ask each other how they were, discuss events, show their emotions. But none of that was present any more; in fact, they hardly ever spoke unless Rolanda instigated conversation, and she was getting sick of it. It had been a year too long in her mind, a year that she began to notice the gradual decline in Minerva herself.

The fact that her lover was still writing and had yet to really acknowledge her presence after several more minutes, made Rolanda draw the line.

"Minerva," she was careful to keep her voice from rising, "will you drop the quill for a moment and look at me?"

She didn't have to ask twice. The feather dropped instantly and green eyes finally snapped up in her direction, albeit with a slightly less than pleased expression. "Is something wrong?"

Her reply hit Rolanda like a bludger. She bit back words- a lot of angry and heated words that would no doubt lead to neither of them speaking to each other for quite some time. Instead, the hawk-eyed witch looked away, clenching her jaw as she did.

"Rola?" the professor's voice was surprisingly sincere to her ears, sounding almost like the Minerva she used to be, forcing a soft sigh to escape Rolanda.

She had to do this, she had to try. She wanted-_ needed_ -things between them to work again. Rolanda was quite certain she would never get the old Minerva back, there was too much loss, but this 'new' Minerva was going to lead to both of them being very unhappy if nothing was done about it- and soon.

"Will you come on a broom ride with me?"

Minerva blinked, a slight frown forming on her face. "Rola, I have work to do."

"Min, you're always working. It's not good for you to keep on like this. I mean, bloody hell, it's not just Poppy who is worried any more, it's the damn whole faculty!"

"It's not like I have much choice, there is a lot to do. Albus is gone, and the school isn't going to run-"

"For Merlin's sake, I'm just asking for a broom ride. It's not like the castle is going to fall apart in the meantime!" She snapped, before stopping to think twice about her words, and placing a hand over Minerva's. "And even_ if_ something does happen, you know one of the staff will alert us."

Minerva's gaze flickered from hawk eyes to their joined hands- watching as Rolanda's fingers stroke the side of her palm as if momentarily surprised, but said nothing.

"When's the last time you've done something for yourself?" Slowly, Rolanda reached out and gently cupped her lover's cheek, letting her fingers caress the soft, creamy skin she was longing to touch while trying not to think about the body that she wanted to hold, love, and ravish in front of the fire, against the wall, or in their bed. She squeezed Minerva's hand, praying that she would comply. "Or us, even?"

"Just a broom ride, Rolanda. And make it a short one, no more than twenty minutes. I can't be away from the castle for very long."

"All right," Rolanda breathed as she let her hands fall back to her side, silently reminding herself that this was going to take time. The burning desire inside could- and would -wait. She needed _her_ Minerva back first.

Minerva shuffled a few things on her desk with a sigh, one that echoed into Rolanda's ears as Minerva stood.

"Have you told Filius?" she asked, summoning her cloak with a wave of her wand.

"Pomona, actually. Filius was busy dealing out punishment to a Ravenclaw for hexing a Slytherin." Rolanda watched as the dark haired witch bobbed her head, trying not to focus on her bare neck and how it moved, instead concentrating on grabbing her broomstick and keeping her eyes from wandering too low.

They walked out to the grounds together in relative silence, save for addressing a few students that greeted them along the way. The professor kept her head high, her eyes never wavering from their constant scan of their immediate vicinity - staying sharp for the unexpected. These had become constants with Minerva McGonagall since the start of the war. She was a Gryffindor to the bone, never letting her true feelings show, which was something that did little to comfort Rolanda during such trying times.

The sun was beginning to slip under the horizon, providing the perfect amount of light and shadow to keep their flight relatively private. Rolanda watched her lover's eyes darken as she looked off into the distance towards the Quidditch pitch and was about to say something when Minerva turned her head away.

"Are you going to mount first, or shall I?"

Her tone was bitter and sharp, too much like the stern professor that the students saw every day, and it occurred to Rolanda just how much this whole exercise might be too much for Minerva. A broom ride used to be something that both of them enjoyed, something they could do together on the same broom or apart, and each ride almost always ending up with both of them feeling the need to land, to have solid ground beneath them as their passions grew. The thought of such an activity no longer being an option between them physically hurt.

"Min, we don't have to go on a broom ride if you really don't want to, it was just a suggestion to spend some time with you. We can do something else..."

"No, it's fine."

Hawk eyes eyes narrowed. While she wanted it desperately, she wasn't about to make her lover suffer for her own pleasure. "But are _you_ 'fine'?"

Minerva sniffed sharply, as if offended by the suggestion. "If I told you I don't know, will you drop it?"

Rolanda mulled over words to say, but took Minerva's words to heart and thought of a compromise as she cocked her leg over the broom and turned back to Minerva.

"Okay, but I'm in front."

Minerva's hesitancy to join her was duly noted, but the moment she gathered her courage and she joined, the hawk-eyed witch merely kicked off the ground, hovering for a moment while they got themselves balanced. When Minerva wrapped her arms around her middle and they took flight.

It had been far too long since they had done this. Rolanda felt like she was actually breathing again, living a life worth living. She steered them away from the Quidditch pitch, not wanting to bring up unwanted memories for Minerva, instead, flying over the grounds and towards the Black Lake. The only thing that really bothered her was how quiet they were being.

"What's on your mind, love?" She slowed down letting them glide gently above the water. "And I don't mean work related."

"You have to ask?"

"Yes, I do, Min. I don't know what you're thinking about or feeling any more. We never talk, and you hardly ever let me in." She tried not to let her sheer frustration get the better of her, but she couldn't pretend everything was fine, when clearly it wasn't.

Minerva's muscles tensed as she sniffed sharply. "The Order; it's falling apart and inevitably it will crumble if we can't regroup and soon. If it wasn't for the fact that You-Know-Who would descend upon Hogwarts the moment he realises that Albus isn't here, I'd be with them right now, helping to piece the Order back together..." Her voice became dreadfully melancholy before it trailed off and her head rested against Rolanda's back, protected from the rushing wind. "Molly has got to be terrified, what with another babe on the way."

"And rightfully so," Rolanda added, needing to stir the conversation to keep her mind focused on flying and not on how Minerva's arms kept brushing against her curves as they breathed. "Do you know what's being done to hide her?"

Minerva shrugged. "I gave Albus permission to use my Manor if needed to help Molly or anyone else, but beyond that, I'd rather not know if it means the information is more likely to stay secret."

Rolanda turned them towards Hagrid's hut, gracefully flying them above the treeline.

"What else?" she prodded, and waited for a brief time, long enough for them to recognise Fang wandering back to his master. "Please, Min, talk to me. I feel like you're drowning and I don't know what to do!"

Her lover's shoulders seemed to sink at her words and as if they were too heavy for Minerva to hold high any more. The silence that hung between them as the wind tousled their hair was almost painful to Rolanda, and that pain only increased as time pressed on.

"Amelia and Peter," she whispered finally, "whether they're dead, whether we'll have to plan another funeral, whether the Order can continue to function after such a heavy blow..." Minerva suddenly trembled and Rolanda swore she felt a tear drip onto her neck, "and whether another precious boy has been murdered."

The thought of another Michael in their lives hurt Rolanda deep inside as well. She slowed down, hovering in the air as Minerva began to shake.

"Min-"

"Down!" she muttered in a sharp, but broken voice. "I need to be on the ground."

She didn't argue with her lover, it would be safer for both of them if Minerva broke. They landed near the Transfiguration courtyard with Minerva jumping off first, barely waiting until they had stopped. Every step she made to expand the gap between them felt like she was trampling over the thin threads that remained of their relationship. Yet, Minerva finally stopped and wrapped her arms around her middle. Rolanda couldn't help but want to go over to her and comfort her, seeing her suffer so made her heart lurch.

"I am drowning," her lover whispered so quietly that Rolanda almost thought she was talking to herself. "I am drowning and I don't know if I can get back to the surface."

Rolanda couldn't stand it any longer. Before she knew what she was doing, she banished the broom and was at Minerva's side. "Then tell me what to do, Min! Let me help you, for Merlin's sake!"

"I don't need help, Rolanda!" Minerva snapped, twisting around and batting away her hands of comfort.

"Do you?" Rolanda's tone darkened, a part of her wanted to shake the dark haired witch. "Do you really think that you don't need help coping with everything, Min? And don't say 'yes', damn it!" she interjected before Minerva could interrupt. "Don't say that it's true, because I refuse to accept it!"

"Albus is managing on his own without anyone helping him; I can do the same. I have to pull my weight," Minerva hissed, her green eyes blazing. "We _all_ do, or the Order will fall! You know what will happen then? You-Know-Who will come to Hogwarts and have the Muggle-borns executed before our very eyes! And after that, it'll be the half-bloods, and finally the blood-traitors, along with anyone else who defies him!" Her once strong, defiant chin quivered. "There will be so much death..."

Tears welled in the green eyes that stared at Rolanda.

"You don't know how much I fear that day," she whimpered aloud. "I am not Albus Dumbledore. I cannot keep You-Know-Who from terrorising Hogwarts like he does, cannot make He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named tremble in his boots like Albus can!" Clenched, shaky hands dropped to her side, as teardrops shimmered on her lashes. "This war needs to end, Rola! There's only so much death and tragedy a world can take without collapsing to it's knees, begging for mercy."

"What about you?"

"I... don't know about me. I can't fathom what I'm truly feeling when my students, my friends, my_ family_ are being killed on a weekly basis." Minerva wiped the tears from her face, letting a shuddering sigh escape. "Gods, I'm just trying not to break, trying not to leave Hogwarts or the Order..." she tripped over the words as if it they were choking her, "_more_ vulnerable."

No matter how much she wanted to let her anger boil over, Rolanda couldn't bring herself to do so in the wake of the first decent conversation Minerva had with anyone in months. Instead she just felt heartbreak for the woman before her. It was now or never, and words needed to be said.

"So, this sacrificing relationships of everyone you care about and love... is it all a means of accomplishing that? Or have you been so absorbed, hiding in your work, that you have failed to recognise just how much damage you're causing- not just to yourself, but others as well?" Rolanda wanted to add herself into that list but she felt it was enough for now. She had poignantly stated what no one else had dared to say to the deputy headmistress, and she wanted Minerva back, not break her completely.

Minerva slowly blinked at her words, then more rapidly as the seconds ticked by. Her brows furrowed and she shook her head, taking two steps back as if trying to remove herself from the truth of those words. Rolanda was quite certain that Minerva wasn't really looking at her as she stood there alone, trying to accept her past actions. Rolanda felt the wind rustle their clothes, but her eyes stayed on her lover, waiting patiently for some kind of response and hoping that their exchange of words would not be the last.

"I've neglected you," the dark haired witch finally stated in a sombre voice, green eyes brightening as she came back to reality. Rolanda noted that she wasn't asking, more likely voicing her own thoughts, possibly in an effort to understand what she'd done. "I've pushed you away..."

Minerva's hands suddenly clasped over her own, and it felt so good to have _her_ initiate the contact, to have _her_ keep talking. _It's been too long_, she thought,_ far too long._

"You were hurting, Min... and just trying to cope," she murmured lamely, going against everything she'd just said in order to hide her pain and cling onto hope.

Dark locks that had come loose during their ride blew in the breeze as Minerva shook her head. "That's no excuse. Maybe for a little while, but not for this long." Green eyes looked up, trying to convey what she was feeling. "I'm so sorry, Rolanda."

Rolanda searched for any hints on insincerity, and found that there was only truth. It was going to play on Minerva's mind for a while, which wasn't what Rolanda had wanted, but she knew that she couldn't have everything. She learned a long time ago with Minerva that once you managed to break the shell, the woman would do the rest at her own pace; but at least she seemed ready to move forward now, to try and get things back to normal.

Staring into her lover's eyes, Rolanda leaned forward to kiss her cheek and was happily surprised when Minerva turned her face and their mouths met instead.

"I've missed you," Rolanda whispered against those thin lips that she craved so much. She wanted so desperately to ensnare Minerva's soul with the lustful passion that she felt ignited once again within her own body. She snaked her hand around Minerva's neck and pulled her in closer, her fingers lacing through ebony hair as the witches began to further explore one another's mouths.

Minerva's kisses were addictive; deep and passionate, but nowhere near the searing burn that Rolanda craved. Their breaths mingled together as Rolanda's pulse quickened; she wanted to ramp things up a little now that she had the gorgeous witch back in her arms. She could feel the tension and frustration loosening in her own body, and she could sense Minerva relaxing into her arms as well. Disappearing inside Minerva's cloak, her hands wrapped tightly around the woman's tiny waist as she dipped her head, nuzzling that long neck and letting her tongue skim over her lover's throat. She felt Minerva gasp and still.

"Not here! Rola, not here!" Minerva groaned insistently, swallowing hard, and pressing against Rolanda's chest. She wanted to grin, knowing that her wicked tongue made it hard for her lover to concentrate. "My rooms - please."

A sly and quite devious smile appeared on Rolanda's face, realising she was going to get exactly what she wanted. "Lead the way."

She felt her lover shiver at her suggestive tone, before relaxing and gripping Rolanda's hand, sneaking them through the castle. The hawk-eyed witch could hardly keep her hands off Minerva's body as they got closer to her rooms, and they barely waited until the door had closed behind them before their lips locked, tongues tangled, and bodies intertwined against the wall. Their hands tugged at each other's clothing and their breathing became hard, desperate as all logical thoughts dwindled. The need for contact, feeling and passion sparked in their bodies with every pulse that their hearts made.

Rolanda had barely let Minerva remove her cloak before her hands lifted Minerva's long tartan skirt, exploring glorious thighs. She smiled against Minerva's neck as she heard a breathy gasp fly from Minerva's lips as she brushed her fingers higher. Wishing she had more hands as she released Minerva's hip, she removed the belt and flung it to the floor.

Her lips distracted Minerva's attention as she walked them over to the bed, grinning at her when they bumped into the side. In a move that Minerva clearly wasn't expecting, Rolanda wrapped her arms around the dip in Minerva's back and spun them around, crashing onto the bed with Minerva on top, her blouse open and black brassiere in full view, making Rolanda's hands itch to take it off and let those luscious breasts free for her access. But she had other things in mind for Minerva.

"Take off my uniform," she growled. Green eyes darkened at the order as Minerva's head lowered, their mouths meshing together harshly, and breaking apart barely a second later as the dark haired witch hastily straddled her.

"Any other demands, my love?" she murmured, lips just out of reach.

"No, but if you don't hurry up and rid me of these bloody clothes, I'll make you regret being so slow."

"Hmm, it's almost tempting," Minerva hummed teasingly, tilting her head and dragging a digit down her neck, making Rolanda's whole body shiver as she watched the hungry look on her lover's face. Minerva's finger reached the collar and wrapped around her tie as she lowered her head again, brushing her lips against Rolanda's ear. "Almost."

Rolanda was about to grab her and twist them over again, when she felt teeth nibbling on her jaw and her tie loosen. She'd be damned if somehow this wasn't the real Minerva attempting to coax her into making love, she just couldn't will herself to move right now. A tongue moved lazily from her ear to chin as Minerva finally removed her tie. Rolanda's eyes were transfixed on her lover as Minerva's hands moved to the straps of her Quidditch gear. The tension was almost unbearable as she felt fingers twisting and tugging each item loose, quickly and effectively, leaving just enough room between them for a fluttering touch to drive her mad.

Her safety gear was tossed to the floor and the rest of their clothing followed as Rolanda started helping, unable to cope with being still anymore. Bodies flushed as their skin came into full contact with each other, their lips grazing everywhere they could reach hard and rough. Hands roamed and nails scratched, ensuring gasps and whimpers, until finally Minerva lowered her head to Rolanda's pulsing core. She barely stayed on the bed as Minerva grabbed her hips and pulled her closer, allowing her devilishly wonderful lips to give a pleasurable greeting. The talented tongue of her lover brought Rolanda closer, panting and moaning in ecstasy. Her back was arched, and eyes shut; but it was Minerva's fingers that skilfully curled inside her that finally sent her over the blissful cliff.

When she opened her eyes, Minerva was just finishing up, licking her fingers as lovely smile touched her lips as she looked down at Rolanda. "Better?"

"Much," Rolanda breathed, willing her hand to intertwine with her lover's, basking in the afterglow as her body relaxed and her breathing steadily eased, "but I'm not quite sated yet."

Seeing Minerva shiver at her tone once more, she smirked and sat up a little, pressing a kiss to Minerva's neck as the woman answered her. "My, my, you've got quite the yearning."

"Yes," the hawk-eyed witch wrapped her arm around her lover's waist, bringing them closer together- moaning as their breasts brushed against each other in that delicate, but oh so sensational way. "A yearning to hear you cry for me; to make you come, screaming my name."

Rolanda rolled them, switching places as their mouths came together again, her tongue exploring deeper, eliciting a moan of pleasure from Minerva that excited Rolanda further. She sucked and nipped at her breasts until they were sore as her fingers skimmed down thighs and brushed over the sensitive areas she'd memorised, teasing Minerva and leaving her whimpering for more. Rolanda moved, her lips travelling south, trailing kisses down Minerva's calf, then licking back up to her knee. She edged her way back to where she most wanted to be, loving the sound of her lover's raspy moans and feeling her writhe with frustration underneath her. Rolanda's steady hand on her lover's belly drifted down at an agonizingly slow pace and when her thumb finally brushed against Minerva's sex, her lips silence Minerva's her pleas.

Slowly and passionately, Rolanda wound her up, playing between sensitive areas and grazing over parts that made Minerva howl. She was transfixed with how her lover shifted and moaned as she tried to force Rolanda into giving her what she craved. It was a game both of them knew well, but could usually never predict who would win at the end. However, Rolanda felt determination and confidence like never before. She had Minerva sweating, panting, and crying, as she played with her body until she had it clenching so tightly around her fingers that she was certain Minerva couldn't take much more if she tried.

"Tell me what you need," Rolanda whispered in her ear.

"T-Tongue," Minerva stuttered, voice hoarse beyond comparison as tears leaked from her eyes in the wake of Rolanda's gentle smile. "I need your tongue, inside, please."

She gave her just that. Replacing her fingers with her mouth, she lovingly invaded Minerva's centre, greeting a pulsing need with only the few strokes it took to break apart the impending tide.

"Rola!" Minerva's back arched, her toes curled, and trembling legs clenched around her head, as Minerva's whole body shuddered violently.

As she came back down from her climax, Rolanda cradled her in her arms, smiling tiredly, but positively glowing as they lay in the bed facing one another, fingers softly brushing each other's skin. It felt wrong to be so blissful when the tears of grief that Minerva was still holding onto slid down her flushed cheeks. While her heart lurched, Rolanda couldn't help but be thankful that she was breaking down safely in her arms and not refusing her like she had for so long.

Eventually the tears stopped and her breathing evened out, and believing her lover was asleep, Rolanda closed her eyes when Minerva whispered, "Love, tell me truthfully, regardless of tonight, are you angry?" Unsure what to say, Rolanda stared at her lover, carefully assessing the question as she continued. "You never really said what you felt about me neglecting you... and you have every right to be angry, but I would like to know."

"Oh, Min!" Rolanda wrapped her arms around Minerva, pulling her in close and kissing her forehead. "Min, Minnie, Minerva..." she hummed softly into ebony hair. "Yes, I am angry; angry at You-Know-Who, the Death Eaters, and everyone else who's causing all this grief and terror. But not you- never you, my love."

"I don't know how you can _not_ be!" Minerva sighed, her body seeming to sink further into Rolanda's arms. "I did cause you hurt, Rola, don't deny it."

"I won't. But if our positions were reversed, would you feel so different?"

"No," Minerva answered without hesitation, nuzzling closer as she yawned. "No, I wouldn't."

Rolanda watched as Minerva fell asleep, following shortly with a smile on her face for the first time in months.

* * *

"Minerva?" A voice echoed in Rolanda's mind, but she wasn't awake enough to make anything of it at first. Grumbling softly, she shifted towards Minerva and pulled her warm body closer to her.

"Minerva, you need to wake up!" the voice grew more insistent and she struggled to recognise anything familiar as it continued. "It's Poppy, now answer me!"

Rolanda's golden eyes snapped open, grimacing when she noted it was hardly dawn. Careful not to disturb the sleeping witch beside her, she removed her arms and left the bed. Her lover murmured something incoherent and stirred in her sleep as Rolanda wrapped her dressing gown around her. She paused for a moment to look down at the lovely sight before her; Minerva's dark locks were sprawled pooled on the pillow, her creamy skin glowing faintly in the first rays of sunlight. As she caught sight of the blemishes on her lover's neck and collarbone she smirked a little with an amused pride.

Bliss fluttered through her mind. She had yet to be entirely convinced that this was a reality, that Minerva had let her in and the barrier of grief that had formed over the previous months had shattered under her ministrations, and that their love had burned so brightly as it did last night; but when she heard Poppy calling once more, she realised that she wasn't living a dream. It had all truly happened.

Her fingers brushed Minerva's cheek, lingering for a moment before she finally moved towards the fireplace, tugging her robe closer to her form as she did.

"What is it, Poppy?" Rolanda muttered softly, leaning close to the fire, taking note that the heat it expelled was nowhere near as wonderful as Minerva's body.

"Rolanda?" The matron's brows arched in surprised. "Where's Min? I swear, if she's still working at this hour-"

"No, she's sleeping, thank Merlin," she reassured. "What's wrong?"

Poppy shook her head. "I don't think you'd believe me if I told you, nor should I tell you like this. Just wake Minerva and both of you come to the Hospital Wing as quickly as you can."

Rolanda frowned, not particularly enjoying the idea of waking her lover, but it seemed there wasn't another option. "Okay, we'll be there in a few minutes."

Poppy's head bobbed before disappearing and the fire returned to normal.

"Rola?" a voice called softly from across the room. Rolanda turned her head, her eyes greeted with the sight of Minerva; a robe loosely tied around her and her long hair draped over her left shoulder- and for a heartbeat, she was at a complete loss for words.

_If this really is a dream, I don't want to wake up,_ she mused.

"Was that Poppy I heard?"

She cleared her throat, and her thoughts before responding as she walked to her lover's side. "Yes, love, and we better get dressed- she wants us in the Hospital Wing."

"Did she say why?" Minerva queried as she disappeared into the closet.

"No, but it seemed rather important."

"It'd have to be, calling this early in the morning."

Minerva tossed Rolanda one of her dark blue robes. Over their tenure of years together, they'd learned to keep a few spare clothes in each other's rooms to keep any suspicion at bay. Leaving another professor's rooms in the morning, wearing the same clothes as the previous day was frowned upon even by the most romantically-minded, like Albus.

Rolanda searched the room, finally locating her knickers and bra from where they had been tossed, and began pulling them on when she noticed Minerva staring. She wasn't blushing like she would if she was admiring her figure- just simply staring, and with an odd look in her eyes.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," Minerva continued dressing herself, "I'm just... thank you."

"For...?"

"Making me come up for air, stopping me from drowning, helping me to open my eyes and look past the grief, and mostly for not giving up on me." She looked up, emerald orbs shining as she blinked back a few tears. "I'm not healed, Merlin knows I probably never will be, but..." The dark haired witch stepped towards Rolanda, closing the gap between them as her hand gently came up, cupping the side of her face and brushing back a bit of silver hair. "Gods, Rolanda, I love you so much and I am so sorry."

Minerva leaned in and Rolanda met her halfway, reeling slightly from such stark words from the usually taciturn woman as their lips lingered for a moment in a quick, but meaningful kiss that sparked a blissful pleasure so different to what they shared a few hours ago. Rolanda took her lover's hands.

"I love you too, Minerva, and if I haven't said it already, you're forgiven- just please, when you start feeling overwhelmed, don't shut me out again."

The dark haired witch nodded as a smile lingered. "I'll try, but don't hesitate to push me, though. I can be a stubborn puss."

"I won't not argue with that," Rolanda chortled.

A moment later and they were reasonably dressed and strolling through the corridors towards the Hospital Wing, mentally preparing themselves for something horrid. When they entered the ward Poppy was near her office door, beckoning for them to come inside. The light in her eyes and smile that was twitching at the corners of her mouth was unmistakable, and it caused Rolanda to glance at Minerva in confusion. However, the moment they stepped into the office and saw a tall, square-faced witch that was clutching her toddler son look up at them, all of Rolanda's worries immediately disappeared.

She didn't know how, but Minerva managed to hold back her cry until the door was closed. "Amelia! Peter!"

Rolanda watched as the deputy headmistress, her lover, rushed towards the two bedraggled guests without a second thought. Her arms stretched out wide, hugging Amelia and Peter close with her happiness radiating around the room.

When Rolanda felt Poppy's hand on her arm, she tore her gaze from them and towards the matron.

"Is everything all right?" Poppy asked quietly, eyeing Minerva's neck with a cocked eyebrow.

If it wasn't for all her years as Quidditch Mistress and quite a few more in the junior leagues with a few wizards of less than reputable moral standards, Rolanda would have blushed under Poppy's gaze. Her eyes once again turned to Minerva, who was now holding Peter tightly while still clutching at Amelia- all with happy tears in their eyes -and a smile broadened her lips.

"Yes, I think it will be."


End file.
